Edmund Unravels

Edmund Loom is an anthropomorphized ball of turquoise yarn with wanderlust. While his parents are always “reeling him in and rolling him back up,” writes newcomer Kolb, they never try to quash his explorations. One day, Edmund rolls far away and encounters a (mostly) friendly world filled with new places and friends; even being chased by kittens is “part of the adventure.” But Edmund eventually misses “familiar places and friendly faces,” and when he feels the literal tug of family and friends, he’s happy to return home—at least for a little while. Kolb has a bright, clean drawing style that will remind readers of their favorite contemporary animation, and his panoramas (sometimes stacked three to a page) make it fun to follow Edmund’s travels and the trail of yarn he leaves in his wake. But while Kolb’s first book is impressive for its visual playfulness and its astute take on child development, literal-minded readers may wonder why no matter how much Edmund unravels, he never seems to get any smaller. Ages 5–8. Agent: Laurie Abkemeier, DeFiore and Company. (Mar.)